Chess Illustrated

Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 100 illustrations and photographs, Chess will fascinate anyone interested in the material culture of one of the world’s oldest and most widely played games.

The joy of chess lies in its endless possibilities. With each move, you immerse yourself in a world of strategy, calculation and creativity. Every game presents a unique challenge, testing players’ intellect and intuition to the maximum. Chess is also known for its ornate and beautiful pieces as much as it is for strategy and tactics. Even many people who don’t play will often display a polished wooden set in their homes. Chess offers a compact, accessible introduction to the pieces, classic sets and basic moves of this supreme game of strategy. Learn about the Staunton chess pattern, which provides a model for most modern chess sets; marvel at the Isle of Lewis chess pieces, which offer a fascinating insight into the culture and wider connections of medieval Scotland; and understand how skilled players use pawns to control the centre of the board. The book also includes features on some of the great players and classic games of the modern era. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 100 illustrations and photographs, Chess will fascinate anyone interested in the material culture of one of the world’s oldest and most widely played games.

Contents to include: 1: Introduction: A History Chess, originating in ancient India around 6th century AD, evolved from the game Chaturanga. It spread to Persia, where it was named ‘Shatranj’, and to the Islamic world and Europe by the 9th century. The modern rules started shaping in the 15th century in Spain, Italy and France. Chess became a symbol of intellect, strategy, and nobility, with players like Philidor and Morphy shaping its tactics. The 20th century saw a surge in interest, with champions like Fischer and Kasparov dominating. 2: Sets Although the standard chess set for international competition has been the same Staunton pattern pieces for the last one and a half centuries, there are many other traditional styles of chess pieces that were in use before the Staunton set became the standard, ranging from the elegant Northern Upright pieces to the iconic characters of the Isle of Lewis chess set. The most famous styles include: • Northern Upright • Staunton Pattern • Zagreb & Dubrovnik style • English Barleycorn • French Regency • Selenus • Isle of Lewis • Lund Pattern 3: Pieces There are six different kinds of chess pieces, each with circumscribed movement: Pawn: Limited to forward movement, pawns advance to occupy space, capture diagonally, and promote to stronger pieces upon reaching the opponent''s back rank, crucial for controlling the board''s centre. Knight: Moves in an L-shape, two squares in one direction and then one square perpendicular. Its unique leap allows for manoeuvring around other pieces and launching surprise attacks. Bishop: Moves diagonally across the board, controlling long-range paths and influencing both flanks simultaneously. It excels in open positions, particularly when supported by its own pawns. Rook: Moves horizontally or vertically across the board, dominating ranks and files. Its power increases in open positions and endgames, where it can control entire lines. Queen: The most powerful piece, combining the abilities of rook and bishop. It can move horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or any combination thereof, dominating the board and facilitating powerful attacks. King: Limited in mobility but central to the game''s objective: avoiding checkmate. It moves one square in any direction, usually seeking safety behind a pawn shield or castling for protection. 4: Basic Moves Chess can be both a simple but ultimately highly complex game. All players learn a few basic